1 online resource (x, 213 pages)

What were the reasons behind the terrorist attacks of September 11th? Does the cause of Islamist terrorism relate to the lack of democracy in the Middle East? Through detailed research into the activities of both radical and moderate organizations across the Middle East, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas and Hizbullah, and via interviews with key personnel, the author investigates whether repression and political exclusion pushed Islamist entities to adopt terrorist tactics. She also explores whether inclusion in the political process has had the opposite effect of encouraging Islamist groups toward moderation and ideological pragmatism. In a challenge to the conventional wisdom, she concludes that Islamist terrorism is not a direct consequence of authoritarianism in the Middle East and that there are many key factors that generate radicalism

Includes bibliographical references and index

1. Terrorism, democracy and Islamist terrorism -- 2. Transnational Islamist terrorism : Al Qaeda -- 3. Islamist terrorism and national liberation : Hamas and Hizbullah -- 4. Islamist terrorism in domestic conflicts : the armed Islamist group in Algeria and the Gamaa Islamiya in Egypt -- 5. Moderation and Islamist movements in opposition : the Jordanian Muslim Brotherhood/Islamic Action Front, the Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood and the Tunisian Nahda -- 6. Islamist moderation and the experience of government : Turkey's welfare and justice and development parties and the Islamic Republic of Iran

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